The dust hasn’t quite settled at our paper (there may be a few more cuts to come) but the realization of what we’ve lost is becoming quite clear: irreplaceable talent and knowledge of our readership area. Their value seems lost on the moneycrunchers at corporate. They think anybody can step in and do the work of those lost (in addition to the workload each already carries). That’s certainly not the case. How long would it take to fill a cheaper new employee with such knowledge? Years, if ever.
It’s been difficult to read about targets at the other papers. Age above 40 is a common thread. So is wiping out those with that deep knowledge of place. It’s almost as if there is a form of journalistic eugenics under way, clearing out the local memory genes on staff to make the workers more pliable for the day when our newspapers are merged into one and “local news” is a paragraph or two on the states page.
We’ve been forced to go against all we’ve been taught about good journalism. Instead of focusing on loyal readers, we’ve been told our sole purpose is to “connect advertisers with their targeted audiences.” This makes us sick to our stomachs. It’s wrong, and we KNOW it is. Yet… we also have bills to pay, children to raise, mortgages to pay…
We’re at the dawn of a new day of journalism. Who are we going to let shape that future? The greedy corporate bastards who have done their best to ruin our field? (Sorry, but a mental image of John Belushi giving his pep talk to Delta brothers is running through my head as I write this…) Or are we going to be proactive, and envision a new world where things such as wisdom gained from experience and a sense of place are valued once more?
It’s up to all of us to save journalism. What are YOU going to do about it?
Age + Experience + Journalistic Talent = Ripe for Layoff
In 4th Estate on December 4, 2008 at 11:26 amShare your story
In 4th Estate on December 3, 2008 at 9:26 am What brought you to the field of journalism? What or who inspired you to choose it as your career? Why do you think the layoffs occurred? What is wrong with journalism today?
If you’d like to answer any of these questions, or have something else to share, leave a comment or send longer pieces to 4thEstateNewsService@gmail.com.
NEW!
I just added a page called The Talent Pool. On this page I will list links to personal Web pages of those seeking a new job. I will not post names on this page, but you can come up with a description of your skills, such as “Sports Reporter with 10 years experience covering Major League Baseball” or “Award-Winning Graphic Designer,” etc. These postings are FREE. It is a way of helping us all to find new work.
Please send your page link to the e-mail address above. (Don’t have a Web page yet? Try a WordPress.com blog. They are free, easy to use and look very professional!)
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